Pistol

A pistol is a type of handgun. In some usage, the term "pistol" refers to a subset of handguns: those with a chamber integral with the barrel. In other usage, the term is interchangeable with "handgun".

Contents

History and etymology

The pistol originates in the 16th century, when early handguns were produced in Europe. The English word was introduced in ca. 1570 from the Middle French pistolet (ca. 1550).

The etymology of the French word pistolet is disputed. It may be from a Czech word for early hand cannons, píšťala "whistle", or alternatively from Italian pistolese, after Pistoia, a city renowned for Renaissance-era gunsmithing, where hand-held guns (designed to be fired from horseback) were first produced in the 1540s.The first suggestion derives the word from Czech word píšťala, a type of hand-cannon used in the Hussite Wars during the 1420s. The Czech word was adopted in German as pitschale, pitschole, petsole, and variants.

The second suggestion is less likely; the use of the word as a designation of a gun is not documented before 1605 in Italy, long after it was used in French and German. The Czech word is well documented since the Hussite wars in 1420s

Other suggestions include from Middle High German pischulle or from Middle French pistole. Additionally it is suggested that early pistols were carried by cavalry in holsters hung from the Saddle|pommel (or pistallo in medieval French) of a horse's saddle.

Action

The most common types of pistol are the single shot, and semi-automatic.

Single shot

Single shot handguns were mainly seen during the era of flintlock and musket weaponry where the pistol was loaded with a lead ball and fired by a flint striker, and then later a percussion cap. However, as technology improved, so did the single shot pistol. New operating mechanisms were created, and due to this, they are still made today. It is the oldest type of pistol, and is often used to hunt wild game.

Multi-barreled (non-rotating)

Multi-barreled pistols were common during the same time as single shot pistols. As designers looked for ways to increase fire rates, multiple barrels were added to all guns including pistols. One example of a multi-barreled pistol is the Duck's foot pistol, which generally had either four or eight barrels,although some 20th century models had three barrels.

Harmonica pistol

Around 1850, pistols such as the Jarre harmonica gun were produced that had a sliding magazine. The sliding magazine contained pinfire cartridges or speedloaders. The magazine needed to be moved manually in many designs, hence distinguishing them from semi-automatic pistols.

Revolver

With the development of the revolver in the 19th century, gunsmiths had finally achieved the goal of a practical capability for delivering multiple loads to one handgun barrel in quick succession. Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon's barrel by an indexing mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger (double-action) or its hammer single-action). These nominally cylindrical chambers, usually numbering between five and eight depending on the size of the revolver and the size of the cartridge being fired, are bored through the cylinder so that their axes are parallel to the cylinder's axis of rotation; thus, as the cylinder rotates, the chambers revolve about the cylinder's axis.

Semi-automatic

The semi-automatic pistol was the next step in the development of the pistol. By avoiding multiple chambers—which need to be individually reloaded—semi-automatic pistols delivered faster rates of fire and required only a few seconds to reload (depending on the skill of the shooter). In blowback-type semi-automatics, the recoil force is used to push the slide back and eject the shell (if any) so that the magazine spring can push another round up; then as the slide returns, it chambers the round. An example of a modern blow back action semi-automatic pistol is the Heckler & Koch VP70.

Gallery

French naval pistol. Circa 1830's.

A Duck's Foot Pistol. Multi-barreled pistol.

High-Standard Derringer. A modern two shot Derringer in 22 Magnum

The famous Mauser C/96 'Broomhandle' pistol. This is a more compact variant with a shorter barrel and grips. This compact version is usually referred to as the Mauser 'Bolo'. Supposedly because it was a favorite of the Communists in the Soviet Union in the 1920's and 30.s Bolo is short for Bolshivik.

Glock 17 pistol - 9mm Parabellum

Remington Model 1866 Derringer. Arguably the most famous of this type of small pistol. Remington manufactured this model from 1866 until 1935!

Desert Eagle Mk XIX pistol - .50 caliber. Beloved of movie makes the world over. Most famous as the handgun model used by the Agents in The Matrix.

Beretta 92 - 9mm Parabellum. Official handgun of the United States Military and Riggs in Lethal Weapon and John McClane in Die Hard.